The European Union

Question 1

What is the role of the European Parliament?

Who are the members within the parliament.

Answer 1

main decision making body along with the council of ministers.
approves of legislation.
they are MEP’S that are directly elected/representatives of the people.
750 MEP’s

Question 2

What is the role of the council of ministers?

Answer 2

The ministers of their respective countries make up the council of ministers.
Make up the decision making body along with European Parliament.

Question 3

Who is in the European council?

What is the European council’s role?

Answer 3

Heads of state or government, Theresa may for UK.
set the EU’s political agenda.
summit meetings.
Defines general poliical direction and priorities of the European Union.
Leader of council; Donald Tusk.

Question 4

Who is part of the EU commission

Answer 4

Promotes the general interest of the EU by proposing and enforcing legislation as well as implementing policies and the EU budget.
1 commissioner from each EU country.
jean Claude Juncker.

Question 5

How is the president of the EU commission elected?

Answer 5

Each new president is nominated by the European Council and formally elected by the European Parliament (have to get a majority)

Question 6

How does the president of the EU council get into power?

Answer 6

They get elected by the EU council.

Question 7

Briefly describe the typical legislative process?

Answer 7

First; European commission submits legislative proposal to European Parliament.
First reading in parliament; European parliament examines the commissions proposal and may adopt or amend it.
First reading in council. They may decide to accept parliaments position in which case the legislative act is adopted.
Parliament examines Council’s position and approves it, in which case the act is approved; or rejects it and the process is ended.
second reading in council ‘ may approve of all parliament’s amendments than the act is approved.
Council examines Parliament’s 2nd reading position and either approves all of Parliament’s amendments meaning the act is adopted, or does not approve all amendments, leading to the convening of the Conciliation Committee.

The Conciliation Committee, composed of an equal number of MEPs and Council representatives, tries to reach agreement on a joint text. If unsuccessful, the legislative act will not enter into force and the procedure is ended

3rd reading in parliament The European Parliament examines the joint text and votes in plenary. It cannot change the wording of the joint text.

Council examines the joint text. It cannot change the wording. If it either rejects or does not act on it, act will not enter into force and the procedure is ended. If it approves the text and the Parliament also approves it, the act is adopted

proposal adopted.

Question 8

What is the function of the European court of justice?

Answer 8

Functions as Supreme Court of the EU, i.e. it ensures that EU law is interpreted and applied in the same way across the EU

Question 9

What is a cleavage?

Answer 9

The preliminary assumption is that voters do come in predefined groups of pros and cons for or against a certain subject. voters opt for a certain party or decide for a solution or option that comes closest to their own position. Cleavage separates voters into advocates and adversaries on a certain issue. 
e.g. owner, worker,(class cleavage)  church and state, rural and urban, centre and periphery. 
numerous cleavages in society but lisped and roman defined four basic cleavages for western civilisation.

Question 10

What is a party system?

Answer 10

set of parties in a particular country (one can measure the for instance the fragmentation and polarization)

Question 11

What is a party family?

Answer 11

A party family: ideologically similar parties across countries

Question 12

Tell me about communist party

examples

Answer 12

Communist
- Anti-capitalist 
- Revolutionary 
e.g. the left syriza 
KPD germany

Question 13

Tell me about social democrats

examples.

Answer 13

Social democrats 
accept capitalism
extensive welfare state
redistribution 
e.g. Social Democratic Party, SDP, Labour Party.

Question 14

Tell me about conservative parties

Answer 14

Conservatives

• emphasis on security (law and order)
• strong support for the market
• more patriotic, paternalistic and pragmatic.
• private sector.
  e. g. Catholic people’s party (Netherlands)
  e. g. Uk conservatives

Question 15

Tell me about christian democratic parties

Answer 15

Christian Democratic parties
- centre right party family 
- More positive about the state and trade union involvement than some conservative counterparts. 
- particularly opposed to communism. 
"capitalism with conscience" 
stress support for the family

Christian Democratic Party (CDU) in Germany
Croation Christian Democratic Party.
PCD

Question 16

Tell me about far right parties

examples?

Answer 16

Highly nationalist, conservative
hostility for immigration
populist (anti establishment)
e.g. UKIP, BNP, National front by Marine le Pen,

Question 17

Tell me about liberal parties

Answer 17

business interests.
leave the market alone
promoted legal, political and property rights of the individual.
neoliberalism; prioritises a commitment to the free market and opposition to state interference in economy.
e.g. liberal democrats in the UK
e.g. Free Democratic Party in Germany.

Question 18

What are the two dimensions of political conflict?

Answer 18

vertical line

• (GAL)progressive, culturally open. (high)
• same sex marriage.
• TAN (social conservative position,) (low)
• State intervention
• Free market economy.